Resilient connector for combination flowerpot and watering pan



g- 5, 1952 F. F. LINDSTAEDT 2,605,588

RESILIENT CONNECTOR FOR COMBINATION FLOWERPOT AND WATERING PAN Filed Feb. 24. 1948 A 7'7'OHNEY in the bottomthereof.

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 'RESH|IENT CONNECTOR FOR COMBINATION FLOWE RPOT AND WATERING PAN Frank F. Lindstaedt, San Anselmo, Calif.

- Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,235,;

V 1 Claim. L 1 The present invention relates to improvements in a resilient connector for combination flower pot and wateringfpan rand'itsiprincipal object is to provide a means for detachably securing the watering pan to the pot More particularly my invention'is intended for use in connection with hanging flower potsand ,itisproposed to provide spa securing means that-is entirely-carried by the pan and does not involve any structural change in, the conventional flowerpot equipped with the usual central hole It is further proposed to provide a combination asfhereinabove-set-forthin which the pan may serve as -a reservoir ofwater' and in which water disposed in the pan has free access to the flower pot through the bottom hole.

It is a further object of the present invention to utilize the hole in the bottom of the flower pot and its margin as an anchoring means whereby the pan is secured upon the bottom of the flower pot, and to arrange the anchoring means in such a manner that it can be manipulated for attaching and for detaching the pan from below the bottom of the pan, without requiring access to the fastening means from within the pot.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claim attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a vertical central section through my combination flowerpot and watering pan,

Figure 2, a plan view of my watering pan,

Figure 3, a vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, a plan view of a washer used in my invention,

Figure 5, a side view of the washer, and

Figure 6, a side view of the same washer taken at a right angle to that of Figure 5.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my flower pot I may be of conventional formand comprises a fiat bottom 2 having a centralhole 3, a conical side wall 4 expanding toward the top and terminating in a reinforcing flange 5, which may be used as an anchoring means for a plurality of chains 6 by means of which the pot is suspended in a conventional manner.

The watering-pan] comprises a' fiat bottom 8, somewhat larger 'in diameter that the bottom of the flower pot, an annular conical water r'etain- .ing flange spacedfromthe lower end of the flower ct, a series loflfribs Ill adapted to, space the. pan frc'nnthebottom of vthe'flovin'ar pot, and a downwardly projecting annular flange ,l adapted to space the bottom of the pan from a-s'u'p'porting surface. sufiiciently. ,for accommodation of the 'low'erfpo'rtion otifth' anchoring means presently The: anchoring'meanspomprises in its main features bolt l.2,.,extending througha hole l3 in the',bottom, of the pan and having a wing head l4 bearing on the, bottomfs'urfa'ce of the" pan, a

washer I5 encircling theb'oltabove the'pan,'and a cap I 6 threaded on the bolt and adapted to bear on the upper end of the washer.

The head I4 is shaped with wings for convenient manipulation and is dimensioned for accommodation within the space defined by the annular bottom flange ll The washer I5 is generally conical in shape and is of suificient length to extend through a considerable distance above the bottom of the flower pot when positioned in the manner shown, with its bottom resting on the bottom of the pan and its body portion projecting through the hole 3 in the bottom of the flower pot.

The radial dimensions of the washer are such that the portion of the washer disposed in the hole 3 of the flower pot has a snug fit with the margin of the hole, and opposite sides of the washers are cut away, as at I1, to provide passages l8 through which water may enter from the pan into the pot. The washer is preferably made of fairly soft rubber or similar compressible material.

The cap [6 is preferably made to fit the upper end of the washer so that it is held against rotation by the latter when the bolt is turned for drawing the cap downward. The cap and the washer are dimensioned so that the entire assembly may be introduced through the hole 3 from below without requiring access from the upper end of the pot.

In use, the bolt, the washer and the cap are assembled in connection with the watering pan to form a unit therewith and may be sold in the market .in assembled form for use with any conventional form of flower pot having the proper dimensions.

For applying the pan, the user merely lifts the to pass through the hole 3. After the ribs ill have been brought into contact with the bottom of the flower pot, the operator turns the head of the bolt for drawing the cap downward, and the descending cap compresses the washer axially, causing side portions below the cap to expand laterally and to bulge outward, with the bulges bearing on ,the top surface of the flower pot bottom-.solas tosupportand anchor the pan with respect to the flower pot.

Since opposite side wall portions of the washers are cut away, sufificiently large portions of the hole 3 will remain clear for thepassageof =water' from the pan into the pot.

Since the entire operation doesvnotrequireany access through the open end of the flowerpot, it is apparent that the pan mayvbe readily applied to a pot that is filled with soil and has.a Plant growing therein for which purpose it may be necessary to scrape out 'a,little soil throughthe m h lei pro de,sna e-i p i he i nchorin n Whflethe; .jow ipot and h iw r ng a may be rnadeof any suitable material, mir -invention is particu rl .intend d liu e nco ec w th the conventional flower;pot madepf earthenware.

,A plate assembly comprising :a jghorizontally disposed plate "having ;a relatively small hole therein, a bolt having a head bearing onthe lower ,face r of the plate and having a. shankpro- .lectin t roushirheihole, are en washe r su rounding the shanksa nveith pl t andhav n a low rr a b ar n e lther at erya se ondplate d sposed i .I'ace lto ,iaqge relat on wi h th firs plate and having a larger hole through which the washer extends, with a portion of the washer extending above said plate but stopping short of the upper end of the bolt, one of the, plates hav- 5 ing rigid means for spacing the plates with respect to one another, and a nut threaded on the upper end of the bolt and bearing on the upper end of the washer for expandingothewasher material above the gsecond, plate to bear on the upper surface of the latter and to hold the first plate 3 suspended from the second plate when the nut is screwed downward, the washer being generally gfrusto-conical inshape with the small end of the washer pres ented upwardly to facilitate insertion 5 of-thewasher through the hole of the second plate, and having flattened side portions adapted toprovide for leakage around the washer when the latter is compressed. t F. LINDSTAEDT.

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